Shelley Baird
Fabric is resilient. It can be dyed, bleached, painted, printed, burned, cut, frayed, glued, stitched, torn and mended. The word “fabricate” means to concoct, dream up, assemble and create.
I make non-literal narratives. Marks I use may be balanced or reckless, austere or angry, surgical or ragged, literal or obscure. Images are superimposed on cloth by screen-printing, painting and drawing with dyes, paint and bleaching agents, processes both directed and serendipitous, as the reaction with the fabric is instantaneous and slightly out of my control. The exact result is revealed only when the dye residue is washed from the fabric, much like watching a photograph develop in the darkroom.
For years I studied printmaking, painting and drawing, photography and graphic design in college and graduate school. I taught photography, history of photography and creative bookbinding at universities, prep schools and continuing education programs and worked for a while as a graphic designer/illustrator. I continued to study and create art in various media seeking out excellent teachers and mentors, concentrating on developing a body of work that reflects my background in this wide range of media. Once I discovered surface design on fabric, all of the separate pieces of my puzzle fell into place.
